Office Depot names key leaders to run new company

The flurry of activity continued at Office Depot as the company which resulted from the merger of Office Depot and OfficeMax laid groundwork for growth in 2014 by identifying some key leaders.

A little more than one month after Roland Smith was named chairman and CEO of Office Depot and one week after choosing Boca Raton, Fla., as the merged company’s headquarters, Smith announced a slate of senior executive positions that touch every aspect of the company along with several roles that are yet to be filled.

"Since I joined the company last month, my priorities have been to name a headquarters location and select a leadership team that incorporates the best talent from both companies and also adds fresh perspective from the outside," Smith said. "Last week we named Boca Raton as our corporate headquarters. Today, I am sharing the company's new organizational structure which focuses on accountability and streamlined decision making. I believe this approach provides the best foundation to execute the merger synergies and transformation strategy for long-term growth."

Key positions such as president of North America, EVP of retail, EVP of e-commerce and chief strategy and innovation officer, have yet to be filled, but Smith did announce the following moves:

• Steve Schmidt will serve as president of international to be based in Europe with responsibility for Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Australia and Mexico. However, plans call for him to be based in Florida until the company fills the role in Europe.


• As previously announced, Steve Hare will serve as the companys’ CFO.


• Michael Allison was named EVP and chief people officer


• Elisa Garcia was named EVP and chief legal officer.


• Steve Calkins was named EVP of contract sales.


• Ron Lalla will serve as EVP of merchandising.


• Tim Rea will serve as EVP of marketing.


• Larry Hartley was named svp of supply chain.


• Rob Kock will serve as SVP of real estate.


• Todd Hales will serve as SVP and global chief information officer.

To make sure the integration of Office Depot and OfficeMax goes smoothly, Deb O’Connor was named SVP of integration.

"With the executive team nearing completion, we will now move quickly to select the best talent available from both legacy companies to build a world class organization focused on exceeding the expectations of consumers and businesses, becoming a more appealing partner to our vendors, and ultimately driving value for our shareholders," Smith said.